Nothing Compares to You
by Daroga's Rainy Daae
Summary: One year after Sarah's incident with the Goblin King, she's forgotten all about him - and she's madly in love. Though her happily ever after is not that simple - she is not in love with Jareth.. and he knows it. And he. is. mad.
1. One Year and a Boyfriend Later...

Sarah took a deep breath and began to bounce up and down - she was more nervous than she had ever been in her life. It was seven o' clock and her date would be at her house any moment.. she hoped she looked okay.. Oh, Xander was the cutest guy she had ever met! It was quite unexpected actually, that they two were to go on a date that night... they had bumped into each other at a park earlier that week and they fell instantly in love. Xander stuck around long enough to give her his name, and just ran off afterwards. He seemed to disappear into the night, and he left so quickly she didn't even get his phone number. He told her he would call, but after he left, she remembered she didn't give him any way of contacting her. She was discouraged and thought she would never see him again, but the night before this midsummer dream-date day, he called her, telling her he looked up her name in the phone book. Now she was waiting for Xander to pick her up, and she was sweating like a pig.  
  
"Oh no," Sarah said, fanning herself, "I hope he comes soon!"  
  
When the doorbell rang, she almost jumped out of her skin - oh how wonderful! He showed up! Sarah hopped to the doorway, shaking her hair in a casual way and swinging the door open. On her porch was the dark-eyed stud muffin.  
  
He bowed and took her hand, smiling. She squealed inside her head and, out of breath, stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. "I have a surprise for you," he said, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight.  
  
"What is it?" Sarah asked.  
  
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise!" He answered mysteriously, ushering her to his car, opening the door for her and climbing around to the drivers seat.  
  
They drove for a while, as Sarah tried to guess what the surprise was. After every no Xander said, she got more and more curious as to what it was. "You'll see," he said teasingly, driving on for what seemed like hours to Sarah. Finally, the car parked on the edge of a lake, and Xander motioned for Sarah to follow him.  
  
He lead her to a boat and said, "Let me help you in." After they were situated into their private row boat, Xander paddled out into the middle of the lake, and stopped. "Sarah.. you look so beautiful in that dress.."  
  
"Thank you," Sarah breathed, staring into Xander's eyes dreamily.  
  
"What is that?" Xander wondered in mock horror, pointing behind Sarah. She turned around to find a scuba diver swimming up to the side of their boat.  
  
"Can we help you?" Xander asked, trying hard not to reveal his enjoyment.  
  
"Yes," the scuba diver said, at the side of the boat, "Take THIS for me, will you?" And with that, the man pulled a bottle of sparkling cider from under water and gave it to Xander, who reached behind him and pulled a tablecloth, two glasses and a candle out, setting it up in front of Sarah, who's eyes were growing wider and wider.  
  
"Take care!" The scuba diver said, swimming back to shore.  
  
"Would you like some?" Xander asked sweetly to Sarah.  
  
She gave a small laugh and said, "This is the best surprise ever!"  
  
After Xander poured two drinks for both he and his date, they spent the rest of the night talking and drinking sparkling cider on the lake.  
  
As the sun began to rise, Sarah was dropped off back at her house, accompanied by Xander.  
  
"I had - the BEST night in the whole world, Xander," Sarah said, stepping up to her porch. "Thank you so much.."  
  
"It would have been NOTHING without you, my dear," Xander answered, drawing close to her face - their noses almost touching. Xander stared at Sarah with love, and read her beautiful, perfect face over and over. "You have - the most gorgeous eyes," Xander commented softly.  
  
Before either one could stop themselves, they bent over and kissed each other on the lips.  
  
CRASH!  
  
The Goblin King threw his crystal ball against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces and losing the image of Sarah and her friend together - sharing a kiss...  
  
Jareth balled his hands into fists.  
  
I offered to give her everything, and she refused me! Yet she is able to love an ignorant fool she didn't even know, he thought, eyes flashing with hatred and jealousy.  
  
"I'm still watching you Sarah! You better be careful!" The Goblin King shouted threateningly to the empty room he was in. The thought of her loving someone else stabbed him a billion times, and he knew this XANDER had to go. He was going to get her for himself if he had to kill her insolent love-puppy!  
  
But she's over you, he thought, she's forgotten about you - you're just a nightmare - a wisp of air in the back of her memory, never again to surface! Do you see the way she kissed that boy? She's forgotten about you! She's forgotten...  
  
Jareth gave a small growl and shouted for anyone and no one; "She's MINE! Young, foolish boy - run! But you will not escape the Goblin King!"  
  
  
  
A/N: Ooh, I'm sensing a bit of anger here.. jeesh he's mad.. what is he going to do next? You have to wait to find out! :) 


	2. A Confrontation with Jareth

Sarah quietly tiptoed into her bedroom; reason one - she didn't want to wake Toby. Reason two - she was supposed to be home six hours ago. She held her breath as she shut the door silently, giving a sigh of relief that she hadn't awaken her parents and tossing herself onto her bed. Xander was everything she wanted - he was charming, handsome, generous... it was as if he had just popped out of a dream. She wanted to have him forever and ever...  
  
Suddenly, a streak of white passed her window, and her heart skipped a beat. She was paralyzed, staring fearfully out the window for any more movement, but she didn't see anything. After a few minutes, she leaned cautiously towards the glass to see if there was something outside..  
  
Oh please, please don't let it be an owl, she thought, scanning the dark sky and the ground for whatever had just passed by.  
  
Maybe I was just imagining it, she thought again, after all - I haven't heard from anybody from that Labyrinthine world for a year now.. they've all forgotten about me by now...  
  
Sarah laughed at herself, breathing again and dressing for bed; because even though she was too excited to be tired, she had to look as if she had been in her room all night. She jumped into bed, pulling the covers over herself and slowly drifting off to sleep. She was asleep before she could spot the snowy owl glance momentarily through her window before disappearing into the night sky.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Good morning Mom," Sarah greeted, hopping down the stairs to join her mother at the table for breakfast.  
  
"Hello, dear," her mother answered, not returning the broad smile Sarah gave.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked puzzled.  
  
Her mom glared at her. "You know perfectly well what's wrong - I heard you outside - talking at 5:30 in the morning."  
  
Sarah's face fell. "Um, I.."  
  
"No excuses, young lady!" Sarah's mother said sternly. "You came home MUCH too late last night - did you expect to pull the wool over MY eyes?"  
  
"I'm sorry?" Sarah tried.  
  
"No, I'M sorry - but you have to be grounded," Sarah's mom said as she gasped.  
  
"Mom! I have to talk to Xander!" Sarah objected.  
  
"No phone, nothing! To your room!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Room! Now!"  
  
Sarah grumbled, storming up the stairs to her bedroom. What a wonderful morning this was - Xander was going to think she was avoiding him! She didn't want that!  
  
Huffily, she slammed her door, jumping onto her bed and pounding on her pillow, screaming muted profanities into it.  
  
Curiously, a small figure loomed in her doorway, then bouncing up and down shouted, "Sarah, Sarah!"  
  
Sarah looked up from her pillow to see Toby, propped up against the door to stay standing and calling her name. "What is it, Toby?"  
  
He ran over to her hopped into her lap, kissing her on the cheek. "Better!"  
  
"Thank you, Tob' - but the only way I could feel better is if Xander were here," Sarah muttered.  
  
"Xan - Xan-" Toby tried to say.  
  
"XANDER," Sarah sounded out.  
  
"Xand-XAN-" Toby said happily. Sarah sighed and hugged her brother.  
  
"I think he means to say XANDER," a voice said.  
  
"Yes, that's right," Sarah answered it without even thinking. Then she gasped and peered out her window to a figure standing below. "Xander?!" She said in disbelief. She smiled in amusement. "What are YOU doing here?"  
  
"How come you didn't call?" He asked.  
  
"I was grounded," Sarah said. "How lousy is that?"  
  
Xander grinned. "Want to come to the park with me?"  
  
"You know I have no way of getting past my parents!" Sarah laughed.  
  
"Climb down the tree - don't worry - if you fall, I'll catch you," he said.  
  
"Okay, my handsome prince," Sarah grinned, setting Toby to the ground. "Toby, if I give you a dollar, will you not tell Mom, please?"  
  
"A dollar! A dollar!" Toby cried out.  
  
Sarah grabbed the dollar from her dresser and stuffed it into Toby's hand before climbing silently out the window. She was so glad she wasn't wearing a dress - if she had been she was sure she wouldn't have made it to the tree. With little difficulty, Sarah was able to scramble onto the outstretched tree branch and shimmy down the big oak towards her boyfriend.  
  
"If not more, there's no end to me!" Sarah giggled, throwing out her arms for Xander. He gave her a quick hug - and locking fingers together, the two strolled down the street towards the park.  
  
"I'm sorry I got you grounded," Xander said as they walked.  
  
"That's all right," Sarah answered, "That night was worth it."  
  
They smiled at each other, but their dreamy thoughts were interrupted by an icy voice behind them.  
  
"Sarah, you still surprise me with your child-like ignorance!"  
  
Sarah froze and whipped around to face a tall man - with wild blonde hair and a crystal. He gave her a malicious smile as her eyes widened in fear.  
  
"What are you doing here?!" She demanded of him frightfully.  
  
"You shouldn't yell so, you'll cause a scene," he hissed back, his eyes turned to slits.  
  
"No, you're not welcome here! Go back where you belong!" Sarah growled, closing her hand tighter onto Xander's.  
  
"Who is he?" Xander whispered in his girlfriend's ear.  
  
"He's not supposed to be here!" Sarah huffed, not taking her eyes from Jareth's haunting stare.  
  
"Is that any way to speak to an old acquaintance?" Jareth asked coolly, shaking his head.  
  
"Look, man - if Sarah doesn't want to talk to you, she doesn't have to!" Xander shouted offensively in the Goblin King's direction.  
  
"Sarah WILL talk to me - but maybe in a more familiar environment," Jareth replied, his small grin growing wider.  
  
"No - Xander, we're out of here," Sarah muttered, dragging her boyfriend away.  
  
"What does he mean by a more familiar environment?" Xander wondered as he ran alongside Sarah.  
  
"Nevermind," Sarah said, still jogging at her quick pace.  
  
"You cannot run, Sarah," Jareth called after the two of them, still planted in the spot he had appeared in.  
  
"Go away!" Sarah shouted, breaking into a heavy run with Xander closely following her, her boyfriend yelling behind him at Jareth about oppression and harassment.  
  
Suddenly, the world began to spin, and no matter how much Sarah protested - Xander gasping in extraordinary wonder... the Labyrinth appeared, once again, around them.  
  
  
  
A/N: Ooh... this sounds fun! I wanna go back to the Labyrinth! YAY! :) Thanks to my first five reviewers, you made my day! 


	3. All Over Again

Xander lifted his head towards the great maze that stood in front of him down the dusty hill, and the only sound was the one made when Sarah slapped her forehead.  
  
"Not AGAIN," Sarah muttered. "What could he possibly want this time?"  
  
"Sarah.. who WAS that? Where are we?" Xander asked, puzzled.  
  
"This is the Labyrinth - it's ruled by the Goblin King, Jareth - and no matter how silly this sounds.. it's all true, you've got to believe me.." Sarah said, craning her neck to see where Jareth went off to.  
  
"How could I NOT believe you? We're here aren't we?" Xander said plainly, waving a hand at what stood before them.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted right now.." Sarah muttered.  
  
"What are you looking for?"  
  
"You don't really think Jareth would just leave, would he? He wanted to talk to me," Sarah replied quickly.  
  
"That's right.." Xander sat down on a rock. "So how do we get OUT of here?"  
  
"We don't - Jareth has control over that. Like I said before - he's the king of this place, he controls it," Sarah said, finally making eye contact with Xander.  
  
"What do you think he might want to talk to you about?" Xander asked.  
  
Sarah gave a dry laugh. "I don't think he'll want to just 'talk'.. he's not an ordinary person.. I expect he'll want to make some stupid deal, and then end up cheating because he knows he can't win fairly."  
  
"How do you know him, though?" Xander wondered.  
  
"It's a long story - he kidnapped my little brother-"  
  
"Oh, you know very well I didn't kidnap him," the familiar voice sneered, the form of Jareth appearing before their very eyes. Xander fell off his rock and scrambled up beside Sarah, looking defensive.  
  
"Whatever you want, you're not going to get it!" Xander said threateningly.  
  
"Don't be so sure," Sarah muttered.  
  
"Sarah, what I don't understand.. is why you're so scared of me," Jareth said, stepping closer, "I followed your commands, even let you free. You got everything you wanted from me, and you're still angry."  
  
"I would never be scared of YOU," Sarah spat, "And you were anything but fair, and you know it."  
  
"Okay, Jareth, Goblin King - whatever you want to be called - offense and everything - you're a whacko. I demand you take my girlfriend and me back home," Xander said, taking a warning step forward. With this said, Jareth gave a laugh and stared down at Xander.  
  
"Are you challenging me?"  
  
"No, no, he doesn't know what he's saying," Sarah said, covering her boyfriend's mouth, who said something behind her hand in protest. "You're going to get us into even more of a mess," she muttered to Xander.  
  
"Maybe you don't understand.. you're in a bigger mess than you may think," Jareth said quietly with a venomous tone.  
  
"What did I do? WHAT?" Sarah blurted.  
  
"You think this foppish boy is anything more worthy than pond scum?" Jareth asked calmly as Xander muttered a 'Hey!'. But Sarah's eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"I can't believe it," Sarah said, storming around, "I CAN'T believe that you're JEALOUS of my boyfriend! Would you stay out of my life, WOULD YOU?!" She glared at him furiously.  
  
"It's not that easy," Jareth said, frowning, "You got yourself into this a year ago. You can't just run away and expect it to all be over."  
  
"You let me go! I got away from you fair and square!" Sarah huffed, still glaring at Jareth.  
  
"You think a few measly words will get rid of me?" The Goblin King hissed in barely more than a whisper.  
  
"They did LAST time," Sarah grumbled.  
  
"You can't remember those lines right now, though, can you?" Jareth asked tauntingly. Sarah opened her mouth silently.  
  
"No - no I can't!" She blurted.  
  
"I may be lost in this whole situation, but - WHY can't you just leave her alone? She obviously loves ME more than YOU.." Xander scanned Jareth up and down. "and I can tell why..."  
  
"Uh oh, Xander, you shouldn't have said that," Sarah muttered out of the corner of her mouth, pulling on his shirt to stand further away as Jareth's eyes flashed evilly.  
  
"He doesn't scare me," Xander said.  
  
"That's great, that doesn't mean he can't do something to you," Sarah said.  
  
"Don't give him any ideas," Xander muttered.  
  
"What am I going to do with you, Sarah?" Jareth sighed, finally stepping close to her, maybe a foot away.  
  
Sarah glared at him and stood her tallest to show she wasn't frightened by his taunting. "You're going to take us back!"  
  
"Wrong," he almost sang, raising his hand, and as he did so, Sarah disappeared with a flicker of light.  
  
"Where - where'd she go?!" Xander demanded, dumbfounded.  
  
"Let's see how much you really love her - if you can get through my Labyrinth in one piece! If you can reach my castle before you die, you may have a chance of retrieving Sarah from my grasp," Jareth said calmly, disappearing with a shower of glitter.  
  
"Hey!" Xander swiped out in the direction of where Jareth had stood, then glanced back at the Labyrinth for the second time. "You want me to go through there, Goblin King? Fine by me! I will prove my love for Sarah is greater than anything YOU could feel for her, monster!" He called to an invisible demon. "I WILL make it to that castle, and I WILL defeat you," he murmured, "Jareth.."  
  
  
  
A/N: I don't believe that was much of a cliffhanger, but it's getting pretty interesting, wouldn't you say? And just to make the suspense for the next chapter a bit more satisfying; this is NOT going to be a Xander- getting-through-the-Labyrinth ficcy. There's going to be MUCH more Sarah... 


	4. Sarah's Not-So-Boring Entrapment

Sarah rocked back and forth and stared at the ceiling of a gloomy, damp little room. She had given up fighting - besides - it made her voice hoarse... and hurt her foot.  
  
After being magically transported to this very prison she sat in, she must have tried every annoying and furious action that could possibly have been done. Though an hour of screaming and kicking and cursing and throwing fits to absolutely no one finally made her realize she wasn't getting anywhere. Now she sat, defeated and utterly bored out of her wits, waiting for someone to enter the area so she could continue to show how much she hated this place.  
  
The room didn't entrap her with bars, but after trying all the doors, she found they were all locked. The room was circular, and the only thing that kept her from being lost in complete darkness was a small sunbeam that leaked through the one dusty window, washing the dirt ground with muddy light.  
  
A sudden noise grabbed Sarah's attention, and she perked up, standing abruptly to confront the person who was opening one of the many doors. Sure enough, once the rusty door opened, it bore the form of the man that REALLY ticked her off right now.  
  
"So Jareth, what have you done to him?" Sarah hissed.  
  
"I don't know what you could possibly mean," Jareth replied with a teasing air.  
  
"You know perfectly well what I mean - where is Xander?!" Sarah demanded, stomping her foot.  
  
"If you would stop being so irrational for one moment, and perhaps control your enormous temper, I may be willing to answer your question," the Goblin King said, giving Sarah a small, mischievous smile.  
  
She just glared.  
  
"Look for yourself," he smirked, tossing Sarah a bright crystal which illuminated the room more successfully than the weak beam of light she had gotten used to.  
  
Sarah caught the ball with ease and glanced into it. She frowned as she witnessed her boyfriend completely lost in the Labyrinthine maze. "What did you promise him?" She asked, annoyed.  
  
"I merely stated that if he succeeded in retrieving you from my palace, I would let the two of you go back to your lives," Jareth answered.  
  
"Bull!" Sarah shouted, her voice rising with every passing word, "You know even if he DOES reach the palace you'll play poor sport and - and - turn him into a goblin or something!"  
  
Jareth's grin widened.  
  
Sarah gave a small gasp. "You wouldn't..."  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" Jareth challenged icily, "That boy is nothing but trouble!"  
  
"You're not keeping your word!" Sarah objected.  
  
"Do I ever?" Jareth asked in good humor.  
  
"That's not-"  
  
"Fair?" Jareth finished her sentence. "You MUST know by now that this place is not a matter of fairness - you can't take the easy way out... and you can trust no one. It's all a matter of wits."  
  
"This is just a game to you," Sarah breathed.  
  
"Perhaps," Jareth replied thoughtfully.  
  
"You're a wretched - self-absorbed.." Sarah struggled to find the right words in her moment of fury.  
  
Jareth laughed at her attempts to insult him. "Oh, give up, silly girl. You know you're only amusing me more with your overreacting." With this said, he spun on his heel, heading back towards the door. "If you need me, just yell," Jareth said as Sarah stood speechless in anger at his departing back. Before he closed the door all the way behind him, though, he said, "But that doesn't mean I'll come."  
  
"Hey!" Sarah's voice was muffled as he shut the heavy door behind him. "You can't just leave me here!"  
  
As he began to walk away, he wondered why she thought he couldn't.  
  
On the other side of the door, Sarah muttered under her breath and grabbed up the crystal that Jareth had left behind, and peered into it, showing her the form of her boyfriend. Watching carefully, she studied him twisting around the stone walls, then finally coming to a dead stop in front of a familiar figure...  
  
"What do YOU want?" Xander asked a creature with two heads.  
  
"What do you mean, what do we want?" One head babbled.  
  
"Yes, what I want is a pot of coffee, but you don't see me complaining," the other agreed.  
  
"Well?" Xander gave a glance at the door on either side of the two headed thing, and said, "Which door will lead me closest to the castle?"  
  
"Actually one door WILL lead you straight to the castle," one head said informatively.  
  
"Yes, though one will lead to certain doom," the other head warned.  
  
"That's not right, certain doom will NOT follow whoever enters through THAT passage," a head said smugly, pointing at a door.  
  
"You're lying, you know very well that the LEFT door will not lead to death," the other head argued.  
  
"Can you guys make up your minds?" Xander grumbled.  
  
"How can we? One of us always lies, the other tells the truth.. of course I'M the truthful one.." a head said.  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"I'm not the liar, you are!"  
  
"Stop!" Xander shouted. "Okay - you-" he pointed at the bottom head, "Let's pretend you own the left door. And your friend owns the door on the right side. Now - what door is yours?"  
  
"That one," the bottom head pointed at the right door.  
  
"Ha! So YOU'RE the one that lies!" Xander's eyes filled with triumph as he asked the top head, "Which door will lead to the castle?"  
  
The truthful head pointed at the right door and said, "THAT one!"  
  
Xander pranced up to the door and said, "Simple logic, men, you won't fool me!" And as he stepped through the door, the ground collapsed in on him and he was flung through the sea of hands just as Sarah had been.  
  
Sarah tore her eyes away from the crystal long enough to slap her forehead. "Knew he should have gone left," she muttered to herself. She set the crystal down and stared at the ceiling.  
  
On the other side of the prison wall, Sarah could make out voices, only distinct enough to know that one was Jareth - the other was probably a goblin, but she couldn't make out a word either of them said. As Jareth spoke, his voice reverberated off the walls, filling Sarah with a hypnotic feeling of peace. She caught herself in mid-smirk, trying to shake the visions of the Goblin King from her mind. After all, he was the one who had kidnapped her - she had to remember that... but all the same.. when in his presence she couldn't help but get the slightest feeling of radiating power surrounding her, almost in a protective sort of way.  
  
She tore herself from those ponderings, thinking how silly of an idea she had gotten into her head; realizing how incredibly tired she was, laying down on the hard ground and, muttering about injustice, finally nodding off to sleep.  
  
  
  
A/N: Thank you people who reviewed, for taking the time to do so! I always love 'em ;) It's weird cuz I didn't think I'd get as many as I have, because I've only seen Labyrinth maybe three times in my entire life.. I thought I was making the two main characters completely wrong! But I guess I hit their personalities pretty well.. though that's just me. Thanks for waiting! Enjoy :) 


	5. A Twist of Fate

Sarah awoke, shivering in the damp coldness of her room.  
  
What nerve, she thought huffily, Jareth could have at least given me a comfortable room. Then another thought hit her. Was there such a thing as a comfortable room in this stupid, dark castle? She gave a shudder and sighed, crossing her arms in a feeble attempt to make herself warmer.  
  
In a sudden temper tantrum, Sarah picked up Jareth's annoyingly bright crystal which she had neglected on the ground up until now, and threw it through the closed window with a peace-breaking shatter. The noise alone sounded ten times worse now that it was silent as death outside. Instantaneously, the moonlight poured clearly onto the ground and Sarah gave a smug smile. "That's better."  
  
"What's better?"  
  
Sarah whipped around - so distracted by her swelling pride for breaking the dumb window that she didn't realize the presence of the Goblin King.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" Sarah whispered harshly.  
  
"First of all, this is MY castle," Jareth said plainly. "Second.. you almost pelted one of my Goblin servants with THIS," he pulled out the crystal Sarah had thrown.  
  
Wondering how he had gotten up the crystal so fast and entered her room with impossible speed to be able to be at the scene of the crime only seconds afterwards, Sarah gave a snort.  
  
"And you took me against my will and could at least respect my PRIVACY," she answered.  
  
"Why such violence?" The Goblin King asked with sarcasm.  
  
"I'm mad," Sarah replied, feeling stupider by the minute.  
  
"At what?"  
  
"Take a wild guess."  
  
"Would you like a more comfortable room or not?" Jareth asked venomously.  
  
"You HAVE those in this dump?" Sarah said in mock horror. Jareth turned to leave. "Wait!" Sarah called, "I didn't mean it, of course I want a better room!"  
  
"You will still be locked in," Jareth informed.  
  
"You don't trust me?" Sarah shot.  
  
"I don't trust anyone, not even you, Sarah," Jareth replied. "And you can't fool me - I know you would escape the first chance you get." Sarah muttered under her breath, obviously disappointed that she was being so heavily guarded and that her chances of escape were close to impossible.  
  
In a whirl of fast-moving colors, Jareth and Sarah were suddenly surrounded by a cozy little room dimly lit by candle light. Unlike the prison cell Sarah had just come from, this room had a bed, and even a window looking down to the court yard far below the tower place.  
  
"Can't you WALK anywhere?" Sarah grumbled.  
  
"No thank you?" Jareth wondered.  
  
"Thanks," Sarah said sufferingly.  
  
Jareth nodded once in satisfaction and strode across the room to open the door. "Sarah, I really do hope you'll find comfort here - your friend won't be to the castle for maybe another day or two at the rate he's going."  
  
"Yeah, I might," Sarah breathed. "But don't get your hopes up."  
  
Jareth smirked and left the room. Before he was out of sight, Sarah caught a glimpse of his eyes, reflecting the dancing flames which flickered, threatening to blow out. She rolled her eyes and flopped down on the bed, blowing out the candles and falling asleep, now more comfortable than she had been earlier. At least it was warmer.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sarah awoke to strange birds singing a haunting song outside the window, and untangling herself from a mass of warm sheets, she stumbled to the window and shooed them away. She peered around the room to find a clock on the wall which read 8:30. Sarah groaned and rubbed her eyes, peering in the mirror set up for her on top of a vanity. Her hair was a poofy mess and she looked more tired than she really was.  
  
"I hope there are some clean clothes to wear," Sarah muttered to herself, tearing open the closet doors to find the tiny space empty. Not a hanger was hung on the bar inside, and she sighed and grumbled, "Figures."  
  
Though, suddenly as if triggered by her appearance in the sliding-doorway, one outfit displayed itself in the back corner of the closet. She could have missed it the first time she looked, but yet again, things had an odd tendency to just pop up out of nowhere here. The clothing was plain - hardly different from the one she had worn the year before to the Labyrinth. In fact, when she looked closely at it, it was an exact copy of the outfit she had worn during her earlier adventure.  
  
With no other choice, Sarah dressed out of her stinky, wrinkled, slept-in clothes to jump into the nice-fitting outfit from the closet. Now she had nothing better to do but wait.  
  
Obviously, waiting didn't last long, and merely five minutes into patiently wishing for someone to come because she was starving, she began to daydream out the window. The sun was bright, and the court yard was even a little bit pretty without cannons lining the outskirts... a fountain stood in the middle that she had missed seeing the last time she had come to the castle in pursuit of her brother. It squirted a nice stream of water from the non- distinct-shaped spout.  
  
"Happy?"  
  
Sarah turned around to find Jareth at the door with a tray of food in his hands. "Can you enter a room any other way than just appearing out of nowhere?" Sarah asked in no apparent tone.  
  
"I can't help that you refuse to hear a person coming," Jareth shrugged, twirling the balanced tray around and setting it down on the bed easily. "Breakfast is served."  
  
"YES!" Sarah leapt to her bed and stared at the food that sat in front of her, chowing down on all her favorite early morning goodies. "It's surprising," she said between bites, "that you have normal food 'round here."  
  
Jareth just smirked and stood there. As Sarah continued to eat, she got the uncomfortable feeling that he was watching her eat.  
  
She looked up to see him staring right at her. "What? Do you mind?" He did nothing. "Would you quit staring at me like that?" Sarah asked puzzled, setting her plate down and looking quizzically at the Goblin King.  
  
"Like what?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Like I've got a potato growing out of my forehead," she answered.  
  
Like a cat, he slowly stepped across the room to where Sarah sat.  
  
"Geesh, that's FAR enough, Bud," Sarah said in surprise, standing up abruptly to steer away from him.  
  
He continued his hypnotic stare, which Sarah returned weirdly, then softening her glare, she smirked.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked sarcastically.  
  
"Sarah, you've got the most gorgeous eyes," Jareth remarked coolly. She almost laughed, despite his kind words - was this really Jareth talking? The die-hard Goblin King?  
  
"Um.. thanks," Sarah whispered meekly, not sure what was going on.  
  
Jareth took one more step which lead to his being right in front of Sarah, still staring at her.  
  
Sarah took a step back. "Stop it, you're getting too close-" she started. But she couldn't finish her sentence because Jareth's lips were suddenly pressed against hers, making it a little bit hard for her to speak at the moment.  
  
The most surprising part of the whole scene, though, was after a moment of disapproval where Sarah almost tried to make a break for the bed, Jareth stopped her, and she relaxed as she felt that power radiating from his aura again, sure that he was playing some game of mind-tricks. But all her thoughts finally left her, and at long last, she returned a damn good kiss right back to him.  
  
  
  
A/N: Well, I dunno if you consider this a cliffy, but you DUNNO what I have in store for Xander.. eheheh... thanks all, for waiting! :) 


	6. A Strange New Feeling

I can't believe I did that.  
  
Sarah was still beating herself up about kissing the Goblin King; the one who had tricked her, threatened her, treated her with disrespect, kidnapped her, put her through all kinds of trouble! She tried to tell herself he had done it by force - tricked her mind, played with her emotions in some Goblin-Kingish way, but it was no use trying to cover up... she did it all on her own. The closest he had come to ever successfully touching her was when they were dancing in the crystal ball the year before; but that didn't count because he HAD made her forget her brother and attracted Sarah to him. No - she was not forced to go through with that awkward deed.  
  
And yet - she had enjoyed the moment. She loved that power his possessed, loved the gentle strength that he had, and his deadly grace...  
  
Once she had finally pulled away from Jareth, he had stared at her once more, tearing deep into her with those eyes that appeared icy at first glance, but softened over time. He had left her to think - ponder the reason for doing what she had done, and now she was over with pondering; she wanted... she didn't know what she wanted.  
  
When Sarah stood up from her bed and tried the door, it was amazingly unlocked. So she stepped down the stone hallway to find where everyone was. The place was deserted, but Sarah could hear voices in a room around the corner. She passed down the corridor, approached the door, and opened it slowly, he suspicion as to where everybody went finally over.  
  
It was strange - the room was filled with Goblins of all different shapes and sizes. In the middle of the mess of the weird creatures was a round- topped throne which Jareth sat on casually; not at all like a normal king would - not a bit properly. He sat more like one might on a couch; head propped up on his elbow and neither of his feet on the ground. She could see that he held a hand whip not unlike one you'd see a horse rider carrying, and at the sound of the door opening, the Goblin King turned to face Sarah.  
  
"So you finally realized that you are no longer confined," Jareth stated, his face still expressionless, talking over the raucous noise of all the Goblins conversing in the room.  
  
"What am I supposed to do now that I'm not locked in a room?" Sarah asked sarcastically, "Go to the kitchen and make a hot-dog?"  
  
"If that's what you want," Jareth said plainly.  
  
"What, are you just... letting me go?" Sarah asked hopefully. Jareth frowned.  
  
"Now WHERE do you think you'd leave to if I just 'let you go' as you put it?" The Goblin King snorted, "Into the Labyrinth?" Sarah glared but didn't reply. Jareth gave a small sigh. "You're NEVER happy, are you? You're never satisfied - you always want more."  
  
"I never said I wasn't happy," Sarah muttered.  
  
"You're not smiling."  
  
"Well I never said I WAS happy, but you just assumed I wasn't satisfied with you," Sarah said.  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Am I satisfied with you?" Sarah wondered. Jareth nodded. She hesitated. "You've - changed," she said slowly, "You're not the way I knew you before."  
  
"I have not changed a bit, Sarah," Jareth answered, "It is YOU who has changed."  
  
"I don't know what you mean," Sarah said shortly.  
  
"You don't remember your old self - how much one can change in a year! You were a pretty, selfish, brat... only a child. You've grown up, that's all."  
  
"You can't grow up in a year," Sarah said simply.  
  
"More than you may think," the Goblin King said, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I have to go," Sarah said, turning from the room that was making her feel a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"Wait," Jareth called after her. She turned back around.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you still despise my presence?"  
  
Sarah was silent for a moment, but she knew her answer straight away. It just surprised her so much that she had forgotten to speak. "No," she replied. Then she left, closing the door behind her and leaving Jareth to his thinking amidst the noisy Goblins.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Xander was on the beach of the Bog of Eternal Stench. No way he knew how he got there - he was so triumphant that he had tricked the Helping Hands into setting him back up into the daylight, he hadn't seen the stone he stood on. It had collapsed underneath him and he went flying down a chute and was almost plunged into the depths of a REALLY stinky swamp.  
  
Now his only problem was this extremely annoying talking fox that wouldn't let him cross the bridge to get OUT of the place.  
  
"WHY won't you just let me through?" Xander muttered as the fox bounced around on the bridge, protecting his territory.  
  
"No one is allowed to cross without my permission," the fox said quickly. "Now do you plan to fight me, or leave?"  
  
"I can't leave, I have to go save my girlfriend from the Goblin King!" Xander protested.  
  
"Ha! You can't fool me with excuses," the fox said proudly.  
  
"It's not an excuse, you crazy little critter, who KNOWS what he has planned for Sarah!" Xander said grumpily.  
  
The fox's ears perked up. "Did you say Sarah? And which Sarah might this be?"  
  
"Oh yeah.. she says she's been here before... and I can tell WHY she never told me about it," Xander grumbled.  
  
"Sarah is an old friend of mine! Very brave girl, she is!" The fox shouted.  
  
"Then you'll let me cross the bridge?" Xander asked hopefully.  
  
"Let you cross the bridge? Of course! If there is any way to save the fair maiden, then I would gladly let you come along to help me save her," the fox said.  
  
"THANK you," Xander breathed, stepping across the bridge.  
  
"Just a minute," the fox said after him, "Ambrosius! Ambrosius, where are you?" He whistled and a Sheepdog bounded out from behind a tree. The fox jumped on top of the dog and said, "Let me introduce myself, I am Sir Didymus."  
  
"Well Didymus, you really are a bit kinder now that we're off to save Sarah," Xander grumbled. "I'm Xander."  
  
"It's SIR Didymus, Xander, but the quicker the pace we travel at, the faster we get to the castle," Didymus crowed, "Let's go Ambrosius!"  
  
So they left - Sir Didymus atop of his dog, and Xander following hurriedly - becoming more and more confused after every moment of being in this place.  
  
  
  
A/N: C'mon! You have to admit Didymus is the cutest little character from Labyrinth. I had to put him in here. You have to commend me for a lot of trouble, cuz I wasn't sure of the names of the fox and his dog so I had to watch the movie all over again! Ech, what the heck, I wanted to. More to come, thanks for waiting! :) 


	7. Yin or Yang?

Sarah shielded her eyes against the sun as she made her way down the stairs to the empty court yard. She looked over the Goblin City; quiet except for a few birds flying by, thinking that the Goblins were probably still inside the castle with Jareth.  
  
She strolled to the fountain, peering at her reflection in the water which flowed smoothly into the pool. Her hair was combed nicely and everything was the way she wanted it. After retreating back to her room from boredom of exploring the castle for over an hour, Sarah had found supplies on her dresser to be able to at least look decent enough for her own satisfaction, and now she was bored again, with nothing to do but stare at her reflection.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
Sarah turned, feeling she was getting used to Jareth's quick entries. "Hello Jareth," she said calmly.  
  
"So?" He asked, striding down the stairs to where she stood.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"The dress," Jareth replied.  
  
Sarah looked down at herself, remembering she found a dress in the back of her closet along with the things on her dresser, and liked it a lot. She had tried it on, but subconsciously had never taken the time to put her normal clothes back on. She thought the dress made her look like a princess.  
  
"Very much," Sarah answered, pulling at the sleeves.  
  
"Found it in your closet?"  
  
"You put it there."  
  
The Goblin King's eyes wandered around the court yard, then trying to make conversation, he asked, "Do you like the fountain?" Nodding to what stood behind Sarah.  
  
"Well there's nothing else to look at," she replied sensibly.  
  
"You're still not happy, are you?" Jareth sighed.  
  
"I don't KNOW what I am," Sarah said. "Happy, maybe... but in a different sort of way I've never felt before - nothing like jumping-for-joy happy. More like a pleased sort of happy. I'm confused; this isn't going the way I had planned."  
  
"What isn't going the way you had planned?"  
  
"You took me against my will, by force - I was mad, and I never thought I would be standing here talking to you as I am now. I never thought I'd ever speak in anything less than a hateful tone when standing in the same room with the arrogant Goblin King... I never thought I could feel, well - almost NORMAL when around you," Sarah tried to explain.  
  
"ALMOST normal?" Jareth repeated wonderingly.  
  
"You're not exactly normal, now, are you?" Sarah pointed. Then she added quickly, "It gives you a look of mysterious uniqueness that is something I've never seen in anyone before. It would make you stand out in the middle of a huge crowd of people as if you were flung into the center of a black sea of heads in China or something..." she trailed off.  
  
"Sarah," Jareth said quite out of the way, "When the time comes... do you wish to be saved?"  
  
Sarah shook her head in confusion. "I can't say, I'm sorry.. it's just one of those situations that you have to be in at the precise moment to really know what you'd say."  
  
"What would you say... right now?" Jareth asked.  
  
"I just - I don't know!" Sarah answered harshly. A bit more harshly than she intended.  
  
Jareth stared silently in Sarah's direction for another moment or two, then proceeded to exit up the stairs back into the castle. "Sarah, relax. Your heart will tell you what you wish to do," he said, shutting the door behind him.  
  
Sarah grumbled and plopped down on the side of the fountain, running her hand through the cool water. "What was I SUPPOSED to say?" She asked herself darkly. "Who is it I love? Xander or Jareth?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"We're close now, to the Goblin City! It's just out of our vision, I can almost feel it!" Didymus shouted excitedly, bouncing up and down on top of Ambrosius. "Faster, Ambrosius! We can't keep the Goblin King waiting! If it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he'll get, ha ha ha!"  
  
"Wait!" Xander huffed as he tried to keep up with the Sheepdog sprinting down a hill. "Don't forget me!"  
  
"You're a fast boy, you can very well keep up!" Didymus crowed, still riding at the same speed.  
  
"Hey!" Xander shouted out of breath, struggling to keep up with Didymus' dog.  
  
After about thirty seconds of running, Ambrosius began to slow down, then walk, and finally lay panting on the ground, refusing to go any further.  
  
"I can't believe you, Ambrosius!" Didymus said, jumping up and down at his dog's heaving side. "Get up, get up, get up!"  
  
In no time at all, Xander soared past Didymus and his dog, shouting, "C'mon Didymus, you can keep up, can't you?!"  
  
"Ambrosius," Didymus ordered, kicking the dog's side, "If you don't get up right now, I won't feed you for a month!" The dog, hearing the word 'food' perked up and jumped back to his feet in no time. "That always works," Didymus said to himself proudly, leaping back onto Ambrosius. "Proceed," Didymus muttered to the dog. The Sheepdog bounded after Xander, who jogged at a constant pace.  
  
What the group didn't know, was that Jareth was watching their every move in a crystal ball at that very moment. They also didn't know that he had a surprise for them in store - and NOT a very nice surprise at that.  
  
  
  
A/N: Thank you all for waiting, umm... *checks calendar* ONE DAY for this next chapter. It's a little shorter than usual, but nothing much less than everything else. I know I haven't written anything really interesting for the last few chapters, but I'm planning for much more action once... well, I'm planning for much more action, I can tell you that. Thank you all! :) 


	8. Sarah's Decision

"There! Right there's the Goblin City!" Didymus cried, jabbing a finger past Xander's shoulder.  
  
Xander looked ahead, spotting the tall gates of the city which towered over the dusty ground, casting shadows that seemed to move, and he had a feeling there were people sneaking around in the darkness of them.  
  
"Well," Xander boasted, "Wasn't hard at all!"  
  
"This is the best part," Didymus said excitedly, "There are hundreds of Goblins in there, I bet." Xander rolled his eyes as they approached the gate. "Watch a pro at work," Didymus shouted with pride, "Ambrosius, GO!"  
  
The dog reared up like a horse and charged at the door.  
  
BAM.  
  
"Ooh.." Xander winced as he witnessed Didymus and his dog go flying headfirst into the gate, which apparently hadn't opened. "Are you two okay?" Xander shouted, running up to see what they two were doing.  
  
Ambrosius was rolling around on the ground, whining, but Didymus sprang up as fast as he could, shouting, "If they wanted to do this the hard way...!"  
  
"Be careful," Xander scolded, booting Ambrosius off the ground. "Now will you be quiet? There's a guard here." He pointed at the sleeping body of a Goblin in armor.  
  
"This one sleeps like a rock," Didymus informed, kicking the guard for good measure.  
  
"Great, but we have more important things to do," Xander answered.  
  
"Like what?" Didymus asked curiously.  
  
"Save Sarah?" Xander offered.  
  
"Oh yes."  
  
With some effort, Xander, Ambrosius and Didymus got the door open, seeing the place was completely empty.  
  
"Come on," Xander muttered, running into the middle of the Goblin City.  
  
"I seem to remember there being a knight," Didymus said suspiciously.  
  
"Sh," Xander replied, peering around corners before walking past them.  
  
Out of nowhere, the stone Didymus stood on atop his dog collapsed, and the two disappeared before Xander even realized it. He just kept on moving and didn't see them missing until he turned around, suspicious as to why it was so quiet all of a sudden.  
  
"Didymus?" Xander wondered, turning around and gazing around houses. "Didymus?" He repeated. But he knew if he wanted to save Sarah any time soon, he had to stop worrying about other things. He sighed and continued his quest to the castle.  
  
A small, twinkling object in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he whipped his head around to see what it was. A floating crystal was hovering in the air just above his head.  
  
"Weird," Xander muttered, reaching up to touch the clear ball. His fingertips were less than an inch away from the small bauble when he saw an image in the center of it; cloudy shapes and colors... His instincts told him NOT to touch the weird thing, but it was too late - he was mesmerized by the hypnotic image, and without even thinking he grabbed for the crystal ball, successfully catching it and soon feeling as if he were falling down the rabbit hole from Alice in Wonderland...  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sarah was busy daydreaming into the shallow pool from the fountain, grazing a hand lazily through the water when she heard a noise that sounded like footsteps. Knowing Jareth's feet made hardly any sound, she looked up in curiosity on a sight that greeted her with relief and great pleasure.  
  
"Xander!" Sarah shouted gleefully, rushing to confront him. "You've come!" She gave him a quick hug before he shoved her away.  
  
"Who are YOU?" Xander wondered in confusion. "Where AM I?"  
  
"Xander, stop being silly - I'm so glad you're here!" Sarah breathed, smiling. Xander didn't return the smile.  
  
"Excuse me, but I'm not joking," Xander answered weirdly. "I've NEVER seen you before in my life, and I feel like I've just been thrown into the middle of a dream!"  
  
"What have you done to him?!" Sarah shouted as she whipped around, and sure enough, Jareth was in the doorway of his castle.  
  
"So I see you've come to recognize my ways of coming and going," he remarked calmly, quietly stepping down the stairs.  
  
"That doesn't matter right now, what have you done?!" Sarah shrieked, her voice reaching a climatic point.  
  
"Geez, girl, no need to shout," Xander said, rubbing his ear.  
  
"He's right, Sarah," Jareth agreed evilly.  
  
Sarah slowly made her way right up into the Goblin King's face, speaking softly and slowly in a dangerous tone. "WHAT have you done to him?" She asked darkly.  
  
"Merely jogged his memory - it's better this way," Jareth said in less than a whisper. "You see - now you can choose who you wish to go with; if you chose your boyfriend, you both will be sent back to your world and he will remember who you are. If you chose me, then I'll leave him this way and make it seem like everything here was a dream."  
  
"And what about remembering ME?" Sarah growled.  
  
"You will be nothing more than a dream character to him," Jareth said.  
  
"Why have you done this to him?" Sarah demanded, backing away from the Goblin King.  
  
"Don't you see? If you so choose to stay with me, and this was your decision right in front of your boyfriend - as much as I'd like to see him in furious heart-break - I'd like to save you the trouble of living with the guilt. This is much easier on YOUR part, Sarah. Understand - I do this solely for YOU," Jareth said.  
  
Sarah muttered something under her breath.  
  
"You know what? I think you're BOTH crazy mad," Xander nodded to confirm his thoughts.  
  
"What a boring child this is," Jareth sighed to Sarah, "No matter what the situation is, he only has one thing to say."  
  
"Hey!" Xander objected.  
  
"See?" Jareth shrugged.  
  
"I have this strange feeling of deja vu right now.." Xander grumbled, wandering around the court yard, now ignoring both Jareth and Sarah.  
  
"It's only your decision," Jareth told Sarah with almost a hint of sadness in his voice. For the hope he had was limited - Sarah still had Xander to think about...  
  
"I have to go back... don't you understand that?" Sarah whispered. "I have a family - I have a life... I can't just give that all up."  
  
Jareth didn't change his blank expression. "If that is what you wish, Sarah. I will bother you no more. I am to take you and him back to your world."  
  
Sarah nodded once, for a knot was suddenly forming in her throat and she couldn't speak a word. Not even a good-bye. She could just stand there and watch as Jareth gave her one more chance to change her mind, by waiting in silence, but when she did nothing, he sighed and flicked his fingers.  
  
With a flash of light, and a small whoosh of air Sarah and Xander were back on Earth, Jareth left to his world only satisfied that Sarah was happy.  
  
A/N: THIS IS NOT THE END!!! Wow. How do you think there could be any more? Xander and Sarah are back in the norm... but this would be an evil place to end, even tho it COULD end here. I wouldn't like it at all - you should know me better than that! I'm just joking.. I CAN tell you one thing tho, this story is going to be at least ten chapters long. That's what I'm going to do for you guys. Enjoy! :) 


	9. The Beginning of a Realization

Sarah was back in her room, laying on her bed and pondering over recent events while Xander sat in a corner tinkering with a broken music box. It was about nine 'o clock on the same day Sarah was grounded; obviously, time had been altered for her sake. Her parents didn't even realize she had been gone, thanks to Toby keeping his promise of not telling on her.  
  
"Xander, do you think I'm odd?" Sarah breathed.  
  
Xander grinned over at his girlfriend. "Ooh, Sarah you are the oddest person I've ever met."  
  
She smiled back. "So that's a good thing to you?"  
  
"Of course," Xander nodded cheerily, "What other girlfriend do you think I've had that's had a run-in with a talking fox or the king of the Goblins? You're one in a million."  
  
"So that adventure didn't make you irritated with me?" Sarah asked.  
  
"Not at all," Xander answered, scooting closer towards her.  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
"Oh no!" Sarah rasped to Xander in a hushed voice, "My mom! You have to hide!" Sarah shoved Xander into her closet as she heard her mother walk up the stairs and to her door... Sarah closed the closet door and leapt onto her bed, grabbing the first book that she found in reach, just as her mom opened the door.  
  
"You've been in here all day and I haven't heard a peep from you," Sarah's mother said. "Would you like to come down for dinner?"  
  
"No thanks, Mom," Sarah answered. "I'm not hungry."  
  
"But you haven't come down to eat all day!" Sarah's mother objected.  
  
"Yes I have, but you weren't around," she quickly lied.  
  
"Hmmm... okay Hon'," Sarah's mom said, stepping close to her daughter. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I'm FINE," Sarah grumbled, picking up her book and reading a page to ignore her mother, grumpily.  
  
"You've done well to stay out of trouble," Sarah's mom said, "I'm glad you haven't been around that Xander boy all day, he's too much of a bad influence on you.. taking you home at five o' clock in the morning..." She sighed. "Oh well, what am I worrying about? I trust you fully." Then she laughed. "I mean, it's not like you have him hiding in your closet or anything."  
  
Sarah laughed too. "Yeah, that WOULD be pretty stupid, wouldn't it?"  
  
Sarah's mom turned to leave. "Maybe," she said, "I'll let you go on a date next weekend."  
  
"Thanks," Sarah said without a lot of enthusiasm.  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
The door was shut and Sarah let out a huge breath of relief. "Phew.." Xander clambered out of the closet.  
  
"Well... if I'm SUCH a bad influence.." he started teasingly.  
  
"Yeah, you are - horrible influence," Sarah said, shoving him softly, "You come and try to rescue me from that Goblin King, what kind of good manner is that?"  
  
Xander grinned and sat on Sarah's bed next to her. "Well.. I have to say, that WAS one crazy time.."  
  
"You get used to it," Sarah said, rolling her eyes and flopping backwards onto her pillow.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Didymus and Ambrosius had been dumped back onto the bridge next to the Bog of Eternal Stench, which they didn't mind very much, but the surprise was annoying and the set-back was unpleasant. Besides, the fact of Didymus landing on his head didn't make anything at all any better.  
  
"Cowards!" Didymus shouted to no one, shaking his fist at the air, "I KNEW those Goblins didn't want to have to fight us again.. taking the easy way out is the only way they can solve their problems!" He growled and turned to Ambrosius. "Do YOU have anything to say?"  
  
The dog shook his head.  
  
"Well, at least one of us does," he grumbled. Then he said, "I wonder what happened to Xander?"  
  
BZZZZZ!!!  
  
There was a sudden sound of bees, but much, much louder...  
  
Didymus and Ambrosius snapped their heads up in time to see a flock of the weirdest looking flying creatures ever to be seen - they looked like a cross between a blackbird and a rabbit and they flew so fast that their wings sounded like bees buzzing. They all flew past in a matter of seconds, thousands of them, right through the Bog of Eternal Stench which they didn't seem to mind the smell of. They looked terrified out of their wits.  
  
CLUNK!  
  
One of the blackbird/rabbit's flew straight into the tree Didymus lived in, and swirled to the ground being left by his buddy creatures.  
  
Didymus bounced to where the thing landed, which was now clutching his head, eyes swirling around.  
  
"What IS all of this?" Didymus asked the creature.  
  
"Sir! Jareth's in a mad, mad madness! He's scared us with his Goblin Kingish Goblin Kinglyness! Threw things, lots of things at our trees he did, mad, mad he is!" The thing jabbered, taking off without an answer.  
  
Didymus stared blankly at the spot the creature had taken off from, then looked at Ambrosius. "Well, I don't think Xander's acquaintance with Jareth went well at all!" he confirmed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Xander?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"When are you going to be expected home?"  
  
Xander rolled over and checked his watch. "Jiggawha- it's three AM!"  
  
"Sh!" Sarah warned, "Not so loud!" She and Xander had been laying on her bed thinking and talking of their time in the Labyrinth. Now they were almost too groggy and tired to do anything but act like drying wallpaper.  
  
"I should go," Xander said in a hushed tone. "My family may begin to wonder where I am.."  
  
"I think so too," Sarah whispered back, propping herself up on her elbows and meeting his eyes.  
  
"It's too risky to try the front door," Xander said logically, "It will make too much noise, and it would be easier to go out the window."  
  
"Sure," Sarah laughed. "You're invincible now." He gave her a smile.  
  
"Good-bye," he said, kissing her hand fairly and opening the window. But before he could get his feet out, Sarah stopped him.  
  
"Wait," she said, pulling him back towards her.  
  
Xander hopped back down onto her bed and said, "I'll call tomorrow." Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a long, deep kiss.  
  
And right then, the two of them realized something...  
  
  
  
A/N: This is called an official cliff hanger! Yay! I made one! I think... I love cliffy's! Thank you all for reviewing, again! (PS - I may not be able to get the last chapter up for a while, but that all depends on my Daddy's schedule.. he uses the computer more than I do... that tells you something.) ENJOY! :) 


	10. Finis

Sarah pulled back and frowned as Xander opened his eyes slowly. "Xander..." Sarah said, unsure of herself, "Did you feel that?"  
  
"I didn't feel anything..."  
  
"Exactly," Sarah whispered. And suddenly, Xander understood.  
  
They had kissed, their lips pressed against the others; but such a kiss was a hollow one. It seemed as if there was a resistant air around them, like they both were magnets, trying to force the other away... there was no love ushered from the kiss Xander and Sarah shared, they could just as well have been a boy and girl having to kiss on some silly dare. There was nothing in it; it wasn't right. There wasn't that familiar click. The love had been swept away from Sarah at Jareth's first touch, and Xander knew it.  
  
Sarah's boyfriend shifted towards the window. "Ummm.." Xander didn't meet Sarah's eyes. "I'll call you sometime."  
  
He might well have said; "Get lost, you're no good at kissing," but Sarah felt the same way about him... it was gone.. the love was gone...  
  
"Good-bye," Sarah said, almost pushing him out the window as he climbed towards the tree. A good-bye that meant forever - the end of their short relationship. She watched him slide down the tree and, turning around, he gave her one last glance, waving a cute little sayonara. "Good-bye," she repeated bitterly, this time with much sadness in her voice. All she could think about was how guilty she was for denying Jareth's wishes.  
  
Poor Jareth, she thought, I have only been a brat to him... but now it's all over, I can do nothing more...  
  
Sarah couldn't restrain herself as she buried her head in her pillow and wept openly, trying to mute her sobs in this deep night.  
  
"Why, why, why, why does it have to be this way?" She muttered to herself through sobs, "What have I done to deserve such punishment? I regret the decision I've made, okay? I regret it! I wish I could go back in time and just fix everything! I wish I had never met Xander! Never, ever, ever!"  
  
But she knew her words were from fury at that moment. Xander had been nothing but kind to her. He was the sweetest guy she'd ever met, and probably the sweetest she ever WOULD meet. Sarah beat her fists against her pillow childishly, sitting up and taking some deep breaths to try to calm down, laughing in spite of her mothers former words: "I'd like if you had a date once in a while, girls your age SHOULD be out on dates!" Now she was confused and broken BECAUSE of men.  
  
"I don't want this anymore," Sarah grumbled to herself, "I want.. I want the out-of-the ordinary life of a fairy tale! I want to go back to the Labyrinth! I want to spend my time, my life - with Jareth!" She whined this, astonishing herself at the name that popped out of her mouth.  
  
She knew though, that she HAD changed him from the arrogant king he had been during their first visit.. the Goblin King was no longer as evil and crude to her; he had changed because she was loving him back! She had melted his icy heart and turned it into a beautiful one, one which was capable of love... Sarah had helped him to battle his impulses, push them to the back of his conscience and learn to control himself enough to be... dare she think the word.. kind? Yes, it was no longer astonishing to love him. She now had reason to want his mind to beat against hers, to let him share his world with her... she loved him.. she loved him...  
  
Sarah suddenly aroused a crazy, wild idea that might have lead to self-pity if it did not work, probably one only a desperate person might try to use, but it was worth a try. She stopped her sobbing and pondering, and leapt to the door, dashing down the hall to her brother's room where there was a big glass window that Jareth had appeared originally through, where he had taken her the year before to the Labyrinth...  
  
She skidded to a halt through the door of Toby's room, tiptoeing so as not to awaken her sleeping baby brother.  
  
"I wish - I wish the Goblin King would come and take me away right now," she said softly. Nothing happened. "I wish the Goblin King would come and take me away right now!" Sarah said loudly. Toby stirred. Again, nothing else happened. "I wish the Goblin King would come and take me away right now!" Sarah almost shouted, beginning to feel tears pricking the back of her eyes evilly. "I wish - I wish.. I" she couldn't finish because of the knot that had just formed in her throat. "Jareth, come take me away-" Sarah pleaded, sobbing. She collapsed onto the empty bed in the room beside Toby's crib, having given up all hope of ever seeing the Goblin King again.  
  
Suddenly, Sarah heard a soft voice that seemed carried by the breeze, and stopping her crying, she listened to it's haunting melody and beautiful words:  
  
"If you wished for the world  
  
You know I would give it to you  
  
Too many years I fought with myself  
  
Should I plead for your love, you deny me  
  
Right now, more than ever  
  
I feel as if the stars are below us  
  
We should forever Be, not be parted  
  
I promise you I won't wish another deed  
  
If you surrender your pure heart to me  
  
And tell me you love me..."  
  
Sarah smiled secretly and spun around to face Jareth, who was sitting at the windowsill. "I love you!" She cried, hopping off the bed and running to embrace the Goblin King. He took her in his arms, both clinging onto each other as if they had been away from each other for fifty years. Sarah began to cry again.  
  
"Why the tears?" Jareth whispered into Sarah's close ear.  
  
"I'm happy," Sarah said, her voice quivering.  
  
"At long last," Jareth joked lightly.  
  
"I never admitted to myself how happy I always was around you," Sarah said, "And I knew I made a mistake, so Xander and I broke up... and I thought you'd never come..."  
  
"Sarah, you know I'd always come," Jareth murmured, holding Sarah closer yet.  
  
"I want to go with you," Sarah announced, wiping her eyes and drawing away enough to make eye contact with Jareth. "I can't love anyone else."  
  
"You will have to sacrifice some things," Jareth warned, warily.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Your parents, your brother.. I could make them forget you were even here," Jareth said.  
  
"You'd do that?" Sarah asked.  
  
"You WANT me to do that?" Jareth asked, taken aback, standing from his sitting position.  
  
"If that's what it takes to be with you, then yes," Sarah breathed.  
  
Jareth composed three crystals out of thin air. "When your mother, your father, and your brother are touched by these, you will be forgotten by them," he said, absentmindedly twirling the balls in his hand out of habit. "Are you absolutely sure-?"  
  
"Absolutely," Sarah answered, taking a deep breath.  
  
Jareth tossed the crystals gracefully into the air, and they started to drift lazily around the room, two of them finally bobbing out the door and down the hall.  
  
"I love you," Sarah repeated, standing inches away from him, gazing up into his eyes. He looked down at her and gave a magical little smile, and again, made Sarah get the feeling of power radiating off of his strong, graceful body.  
  
The Goblin King leaned down and kissed his queen deeply. Her arms felt their way around his waist as she gave him everything she had back, and he pulled her into a loving embrace.  
  
As the two of them began to fade away into the Labyrinthine world, Toby awoke, rubbing his eye sleepily. He opened his bright eyes just in time to see the lovers disappear from his room. "Bye-bye, Sarah," Toby smiled happily, giving a wave.  
  
The third crystal glided towards the small boy, reflecting his cute features. "Ooh! Pretty!" Toby laughed, reaching towards the shiny bauble. And he touched it, having the same feeling Xander felt; as if he were falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland.  
  
The house was silent, magic hovering in Toby's now quiet room, slowly draining from the air. There would be days when Sarah's family might walk down the streets, thinking of a girl they thought they once knew from a dream, but only Toby would remember the Goblin King; now at peace with his beautiful queen by his side, thinking that nothing; nothing at all could compare to her.  
  
FINIS  
  
  
  
A/N: The end! Thank you all for reviewing, you make me happy! Do you think I should write more Labyrinth ficcy's? Just a thought... anywho, now I can go back to my Phanfics I've been putting off for so long! 


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